Broken Hearts
by Emmithar
Summary: Sara uses Greg in order to make Grissom jealous, but what happens when Greg finds out?
1. Chapter 1

**Broken Hearts**

**By: **Emmithar

**Rating: **K+

**Disclaimer: **As usual, I am not the owner of CSI, or any of the characters, sadly enough.

**Summary: **Sara uses Greg in order to make Grissom jealous, but what happens when Greg finds out?

**A/N: **Challegne fic from GregSara yahoo Groups.

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**Chapter One: **Leaving it all Behind

Greg tilted the bottle he in his hand, watching as small pills tumbled over one another, coming to a stop in the corner of the container. How should he start; little by little, or all at once? Without hesitation, Greg twisted the cap off, pouring the contents into his open hand. They were relatively small, but he knew looks could be deceiving. The recommended dosage was only a single pill; once he had taken three, when he had been agitated. The result had been rather unpleasant.

His mind wondered briefly the impact it would create if he took the entire handful at once. Would his body reject it, or would it already be too late to do anything? Greg let out a sigh, tilting his hand to the side, watching as the pills fell into the sink, scattering around the plastic base before falling down the drain. He had to use his free hand to scrape away the remaining pills, before turning on the faucet, assuring that they were in fact, gone.

Setting the empty container on the edge of the sink, Greg left the room, coming to a rest on his bed a few feet away. He had thought about this long and hard, to a point that it almost unnerved him. But in the end it was clear, he couldn't do it.

Sure, the woman he loved had used him, was still using him, in order to woo another man. Not just any man, Greg reminded himself, but his boss. Of course, he supposed that he was just as much to blame. He had followed along blindly, hadn't cared to look at the facts.

The worse part, she didn't even know that he knew. She had used him, hurt him, and she didn't even care. But it wasn't like it was the end of the world. Greg closed his eyes, reminding himself this once again. He had thought about trying something, had actually planned how he would carry through.

That's why he had to get rid of the sleeping pills. They were far too much of a risk just sitting around. They were a potent prescription that he had picked up from his doctor, shortly after the lab explosion when he encountered sleepless nights. Now and then he would need to take one, in order to calm himself down enough to get the rest he needed.

Reaching up with his hand, Greg rubbed his forehead, following down to the base of his neck where he could feel a knot forming. Part of him wished he had taken a single pill, enough so that he could actually sleep. Perhaps he would feel better once fully rested. Another part of him was afraid that if he took one, then he would take another, then another. It was just too risky to try.

He let out a sigh. If it wasn't the end of the world, then why did it feel as though it was?

* * *

_"You really didn't have to do all of this."_

_"I know, but I wanted to, you deserve it."_

It seemed like it all happened long ago, once upon a time. Yet in reality, it had only been a month, maybe a little longer. Sara walked through the room slowly, the room that seemed oddly out of place. The bed was neatly made, two pillows on each side of the bed, balancing it out.

A pair of shoes were matched together, just inside the closet, underneath the suit that was hanging there. It was the same one he had worn for his prelim. Sara smiled sadly, remembering that night. Greg had been so happy; she had taken him to dinner as a celebration.

She lingered there for a moment longer, the beam of her flashlight sweeping over the closet floor. The rug had recently been vacuumed, and like everything else, it was clean. And odd trait, it seemed, for someone like Greg. It wasn't like this the last time she was over.

She wandered in further, stopping just inside the bathroom, turning to look behind her as Brass came into the bedroom. "Talked to the neighbors," he stated in a quiet manner, "Last anyone saw of him was a few days ago. Left about 11:30 at night, sometime real late."

"So he's been gone no longer than we've noticed. Left by his own will." Grissom mused, checking the desk drawers by the bed.

"As far as we know," Sara interjected, reaching out with her free hand. Her fingers closed around the empty medicine bottle, lifting it up to show the two men. "Drugged maybe?"

"If the residents here saw him walking out under his own power it's unlikely. There was no one else here, no one came, and no one left."

Sara placed the bottle back down, sighing as she turned around in a full circle. "If it was that late, then mostly everyone would be asleep. How could they know for sure? It's easy to miss someone; maybe they came up, stayed a while, stole the pills before leaving, and hid in his car, just waiting for him."

"I don't think we're looking at a kidnapping Sara," Grissom told her, straightening up. "There's no evidence of a struggle, no blood…nothing's out of place."

"Maybe it's not what's missing, but what's here. Everything's too orderly, it like they didn't want us to find anything. Besides, someone doesn't disappear just like that," she argued her point lightly, coming back into the room. I mean, even if he went somewhere, we'd be able to track him through phone records, credit cards…"

"If Greg really wanted to disappear then he wouldn't be using any of those things."

"Maybe he can't," Sara suggested. "I mean, why would Greg just go off and leave, and not telling anyone?"

"Maybe he wasn't planning to disappear, but that's the way it happened."

* * *

He remembered the first time. It was surprising, a bit uncomfortable. He had imagined how it would happen so many times. Where they would be, how it would happen, who would move first. But this…this was just unexpected. 

It had been only three weeks since he was official in the field, and he had moved from working with Grissom, to working with Sara. It was a change he was grateful for. He felt as though they were a perfect match.

He loved seeing her smile; sometimes, right before he fell asleep, he would picture her warm smile in his mind, and if he was lucky, he could even hear her laugh. Greg had never really mustered the courage to ask her out; sure he was nervous, but he was even more afraid of making her upset. Her moods were never really steady, and he knew at this point it was better for her to a friend, rather than a lover.

Still, he was never prepared for what happened next. Going over their newly assigned case, he was retelling his findings when all sudden she had kissed him. Greg had been so shocked that he hadn't even returned the kiss, throwing him off track all together.

He could still remember her look, her cheeks burning red with embarrassment as she turned away.

_"I'm sorry," Sara apologized quickly, "It's just…do you want to go out?"_

_"…right now?" Greg asked, finding his voice after a moment._

_She laughed softly, "After shift. Do want to go do something?"_

_"Sure…" he answered with a warm smile._

* * *

Greg shifted uncomfortably in his seat, one hand on the steering wheel. Up ahead to his left was a gas station; he needed to fill up again. It hadn't taken him long to decide what to do that night. He had spent all day trying to figure out ways to kill himself, only to figure out that death wasn't what he wanted. Solitude…solitude was what he wanted…what he needed. 

He couldn't exactly go back to work with his newly found knowledge; he couldn't face Sara again, or Grissom for that matter. And he couldn't ask Ecklie for a transfer, because then Grissom would be brought into the discussion, and Greg knew that he would end up breaking down in front of the older man.

No, he had to leave, had to get away…forever. He had stayed behind long enough to plan, long enough to cover his tracks. As he pulled to a stop, Greg dug his wallet out from his coat pocket, filing through the money he had in there. Pulling out a few select bills, Greg climbed out of his car, heading inside the store.

It had been a simple dinner, nothing really romantic, but it had been theirs none-the-less. It hadn't been far from her place, so Greg had offered to walk her back home, instead of renting a stuffy cab. She had agreed, but only after a moment. She seemed a bit out of place, but Greg didn't push the matter. He assumed that it was because of her early actions, thinking that she may be still embarrassed.

"I had a real nice time," Greg told her as they came to her door.

Sara smiled back him, nodding as she looked for her keys. "So did I."

"See you tomorrow then?"

She nodded, moments before heading inside. Greg let out a breath of air, smiling happily. Everything seemed too good to be true…

The nozzle clicked in his hand, causing him to look up. The tank was full, and he hadn't used up all the money yet. It didn't matter anyways, he decided in the end, moving to get back into his car. The sooner he was on the road, the better.

**TBC**


	2. Mysteries abound

**Here's the second chapter, it's short, I know, but I don't know when I'll be able to update again. More answers coming in the next chapter! Love all the reviews, and as we all know, they're what get me writing faster :D**

**Chapter Two: **Mysteries abound

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"How far are you headed?"

Greg shrugged his shoulders, turning to look down the long stretch of road. "As far as you're willing to take me I guess."

The truck driver looked at him skeptically, but shrugged her shoulders in the end. "Hop in then, I don't want to get behind."

Without hesitation he climbed in, using one hand to pull himself up that first step. He knew what he was doing was dangerous, that know would be the time to find a phone to call someone.

Still at the same time he couldn't find the strength to really care. He had gotten lost, in the middle of nowhere, miles away from any gas station. Part of him knew that by the time he found a way to get his car running again, the others would have already caught up to him.

He knew they were looking for him, he had read about it in the papers. Thankfully no one had posted pictures yet; or if they had no one had cared enough to call him in. Greg rested his chin in one had as the truck pulled back onto the road, lost in his own thoughts.

At first he hadn't thought too much of it. A simple dinner, a single night out. That's all it was...still, it had made him feel alive. The one person he ever truly cared about had finally noticed him. He had never pushed her, had never forced her. She came to him on her will. The next day he had gone in with high hopes.

Nothing much had transpired the next day, or the day after that. But the next night, she had taken him back to her place. He could still remember everything…the brush of her lips, the warmth of her hands…

Greg let out a solemn sigh, shifting uncomfortably. It had been a special night for him, one that he would remember always, but not in the way he first intended. He hadn't told anyone about it, but somehow word had gotten out. The following shift he had ended up dodging questions from his co-workers. The only one whom didn't seem to care was Grissom, but it wouldn't surprise him to no end if the older man had even heard them.

He should have noticed it then, Sara seemed uncomfortable, upset even. He hadn't asked, hadn't prodded. Part of him thought that it had been because of the night before, but those thoughts were dashed during their first break.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

Greg didn't even raise his head, declining the driver's offer quietly. He hadn't been hungry for quite a while now. He heard the driver shift across from him.

"Well, I never really introduced myself, the name's Amy, Amy Klein."

There was a moment of silence before he sat up some. "Greg…just Greg."

"You know," Amy started, turning to look at him. "I'm not an expert in psychology or anything, but….something's wrong…do you want to talk about it?"

* * *

Sara pushed the loose strands of hair from her face as she hurried into his office. Grissom didn't even need to look to know that it was her, calmly motioning for her to take a seat, one that she ignored.

"I just got off the phone with the company; Greg cancelled all his credit cards last Tuesday, and pulled all his money out of savings about an hour later. That's pretty drastic if you ask me."

Grissom looked through the records calmly, shaking his head. "He's making sure we can't follow him."

Sara bit her bottom lip, looking down. It had been four days now since his disappearance, and they were running out of leads. It was hard to believe, but the further they got, the more it looked as though Greg had actually vanished.

A knock on the door alerted the pair that they weren't alone, and Sara looked up quickly as Mia walked into the office. "The fingerprint Sara found on the empty medicine bottle belongs to Greg, and the substance Nick collected from the drain matches the prescription on the bottle."

"So he dumps sleeping pills down the drain?" Grissom mused lightly, "Why?"

Mia shook her head slowly, "I can't give you that answer. But by the amount that was found in the drain I can assure you it's unlikely he tried to OD."

"Greg's not suicidal," Sara corrected her firmly, meeting her gaze evenly.

"You'd be surprised what someone can do when they're irrational," Grissom pointed out, his hands folded on top of the report.

Sara was about to protest, but was cut short as Brass stepped inside, working his way around Mia. "Kansas state police just called, they pulled an abandoned car off the side of the side of back road near Dodge City. They ran a license plate number; it came back to a Mr. Gregory Sanders."

"I'm going," Sara said quickly, already leaving the office. Grissom let out a sigh, rubbing his forehead. "Make sure Nick and Warrick get there as well."

Brass nodded shortly, pausing before he left. "You think anything criminal is going on here?"

"It's hard to tell Jim," Grissom shrugged his shoulders. "If we don't find anything that proves otherwise soon, we're going to have to close the case."

"What about Greg?" Mia asked, "We just can't forget about him."

"Sometimes the right thing to do isn't always the easiest."

**TBC**


	3. Moving On

**Chapter Three: Moving On**

There it was, plain as day, or night, whichever made more sense. The car hadn't been moved, in fact, no one had touched it since finding out that it could possibly be tied to a kidnapping. Grissom said it was unlikely, but Sara had requested it, and he had followed through.

The ride there had been silent. Warrick and Nick lost in their own thoughts, unable to secure good reason to why Greg had left so suddenly. Sara had thought of several scenarios, some of them far-fetched, while others were more grounded. Still, she was never able to bring herself to suggest them. She knew why he had left, but not where he had gone.

It was Hodges, who had confirmed her worries, in an almost maniacal way. He seemed to be enjoying himself; then again Hodges seemed to feed of the misery of others. Not only was he a sycophant, but he had an annoying persistence of knowing every detail, of everything, that was. The man could make a decent field agent if he had half a mind. And that was a big if.

_"Missing anything important?" _

_"I'm really not in mood to play games Hodges." Sara warned with a click of her tongue. _

_"If you insist," he shrugged his shoulders, watching as the test results printed. The machine had been replaced temporarily by an older unit, and the entire process took twice as long as normal. The head of the printer hummed across the page, pausing for a moment, before humming back to the other side, the paper inching out little by little. "Just wondering if you need help finding anything…papers…files…Greg…test results…evidence…"_

_"How do you know I'm looking for Greg?" she asked suddenly, interrupting his little speech._

_He gave her half a smile, before composing himself, his face taking on the flat, passive look he normally held. "Word gets around."_

_"Where is he?"_

_Hodges shrugged, reaching over to pick up the printed results. "Victim's blood, suspects DNA, you solved another case, good for you."_

_"David," Sara's tone was short, gritting her teeth as called him by his first name, something that was a rarity. "What do you know?"_

_"Not very much obviously," he stated, capping the pen he held in his hand. "But I do know one thing; I don't blame him for leaving. I mean, theoretically speaking here now, that if I found out my girlfriend was using me, I'd leave too."_

_She was stunned for a moment, but shook it off quickly as she regained her composure, not want to show how affected she was by his statement. It was followed by immediate confusion, and her brow furrowed. "Hodges…you don't have a girlfriend…"_

_"I know," he said simply, the simple fact not bothering him. "They're too much of a pain."_

Sara bit her lip as she slid into the car, running a gloved hand over the steering wheel. It felt odd, normally she found herself sitting in the passenger seat, listening on as Greg rambled about one of his childhood stories. She found them all fascinating, having very little good memories of her own.

The door opened across from her as Warrick poked his head in, the beam of his flashlight sweeping across the seat. "I've got a hair," he stated, pulling out a pair of tweezers. "And unless Greg has some weird fetish with wearing a brunette wig, we've got our first suspect."

"It's mine," Sara stated bluntly, ignoring the look of confusion from him. She let out a sigh, knowing it was better to come right out with it, rather than try to hide it. "Greg and I…we've been seeing each other. I was with him Sunday night, we went to the movies…we used this car."

"You and Greg have a relationship?" Warrick inquired softly, stunned when she nodded. "Did you talk to Grissom about any of this?" Again, there was another shake of her head, but no verbal response. "Sara, you shouldn't even be working this case."

"I have to."

* * *

_She had kissed him…actually kissed him. He had been standing right there, just talking, one hand running through his hair, the other supporting his weight on the table…and she had kissed him. _

_It was meant to be a small kiss, nothing more. But when their lips met, it was unexpected, she felt lost…and it felt wonderful. When he didn't return the gesture, she pulled back abruptly, shamed and somewhat disgusted with herself. Why in the hell had she just done that? _

_Just because he was there…just because she needed the affection so badly, because the sting of rejection was too much. She tried to reason with herself, but she knew the real reasoning behind her actions. It was because of her, the one woman that stood out in Grissom's life, the only one the scientist ever noticed. It was because of Sofia. _

_Sure, others would call her crazy…but the others didn't see the way he looked at her, the way he reached out gently to brush the hair from her face. They didn't see the kiss…in her mind, Sara refused to believe any of it. But the longer she stayed there, the more real it became. Grissom was in love… and not with her. _

_It wasn't fair…she had been here all these years, she had confessed her love for him, had done everything he had asked of her, even going through counseling if it meant a possibility of them moving closer. But it was all in vain. Who knew one person could cause so much trouble? After all, Sofia had been here just over a month, and with the snap of her fingers, she had stolen her love away._

_Sara smiled grimly, a plan forming in her mind. Two could certainly play at that game, and in her heart, she knew she could win. She just had too. Grissom was with Sofia, so there was really no way that he would ever see her. But if she were to find someone…_

_It would have to happen tonight…but how? She had pondered over it many times. Perhaps asking him out when Grissom was in earshot, or maybe flirting with him outside his office. It was then that he walked by, and she panicked, doing the first thing that came to her mind. She kissed him. She kissed Greg._

_But when she had pulled away, she saw confusion, not repulsion on his face. Her heart skipped a beat as she raised her voice, one eye still on Grissom who was just standing outside the door now, his head buried in a book. "Do you want to go do something?"_

She felt like a fool now…it had seemed like a good plan at first. She hadn't stopped to realize what she was really doing. Then again she had never meant for it to get so out of control. Sara let out a sigh leaning against the wall as Warrick paced back and forth in front of her, his cell pressed against his ear.

"Yeah," he nodded, his head down as he turned on his heel, walking the other way. "Yeah, I know….yeah."

She smiled inwardly to herself, amused at his vibrant vocabulary. The distraction only lasted a short time, her thoughts already changing. Grissom hadn't even noticed…which was the worse part. Then again, who was she trying to kid, Grissom never noticed anything about her, unless she was in some sort of trouble. The only time Grissom was there for her was when her job was in jeopardy. The lab explosion…the DUI…the suspension…and there was the mental patient, the one who held her hostage…

Sara rubbed her neck briefly, closing her eyes, wishing away the rising fears. Grissom had only listened; he hadn't offered any comfort. Greg had offered his shoulder…had held her in a warm embrace, had rocked her to sleep that night, and had taken her out the next morning. Sure, maybe it was overkill, but he had really cared.

That was the difference…He had cared…Grissom didn't. It was strong awareness, a sickly feeling. How could she have done this to him…to the one person she truly loved? Yes, she was ignorant; it had taken her five years…five years to come to this realization.

"Yeah, she's right here," Warrick announced, handing the phone off to her.

Sara paused for a moment, before reaching out for it, her fingers closing around the small object. Taking a breath she brought it up to her ear. "Sidle."

"Sara…"

She let out a shaky breath, already moving to cut him off. "None of this matters, Greg and I were going out, we were being friends."

"Friends don't have sex with each other," Grissom pointed out.

"How?"

"I'm not as ignorant as you think," he told her quietly. "That's not what I'm calling about. The case is being closed, the three of you are expected back tonight, I've already made arrangements to have a small plane pick you up."

"Grissom, I just can't…leave him."

"There's nothing criminal going on, it's time to close the case. Come home, you're needed here."

**TBC**


	4. A Final Clue

**Thanks to all of you who have reviewed, it's wonderful reading all the responses. really looking forward to reading more, this chapter is another short one, but I'll try to have a longer one the next time. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter Four: A Final Clue**

Downpour…in Vegas…it wasn't expected, but at the same time it happened often enough that it was foolish to dismiss such a notion. Sara watched from her window, clutching her phone in one had as it let out another ring. She had it set to standard; a single normal tone…one that Greg had teased her about relentlessly. He changed his tone weekly, if not daily, bobbing his head in time with music.

The thought made her smile, as she lowered her head, the phone ringing another time. She didn't want to answer it, already knowing it was work. She didn't want to go it, didn't want to pretend none of this was happening. Perhaps she was being a bit selfish, after all, no one else agreed with Ecklie's decision to close the case, but they were all working, all the same.

_"Where does this leave us then?" Nick asked, his fingers laced together behind his head as he reclined in the chair. _

_"One extra pizza slice?" Warrick suggested, motioning to the uneaten piece. It was a small tradition they had started almost a year back, ordering a small pizza, sharing it with everyone on the night shift. It wasn't much, just enough for everyone to have one piece. It was more of a snack, than an actual meal, giving them enough time to take a quick break._

_The mood this time was somber, and Warrick's statement had done nothing but add to the uneasiness that was felt in the room. _

_Jacqui shifted at the door, the half eaten slice in her hand. She had been hungry, missing breakfast earlier that day, but now she found herself unable to finish the slice. "I can't believe he's closing the case. I mean, there may be nothing criminal going on, but that doesn't matter. If it were someone else, anyone else, this case would still be open."_

_"That's because Ecklie has his head too far up his…" Warrick trailed off as Nick ran a hand across his throat, nodding towards the window. "…his decision was…a good one," he finished instead, priceless seconds before Ecklie walked in himself, a frown on his face._

_"Are we all taking a break?" he wondered mildly, taking the last slice for himself. Sara frowned, resisting the urge to slap him right then and there. _

_"Actually," Nick started, sitting up in his chair, "We are. We figured that since we've all worked doubles, we deserved a rest."_

_"That's nice," Ecklie nodded towards him, taking a bite, "but there's work to be done, breaks over."_

_"I'm headed out," Sara said quickly, standing before the others. _

_"Where exactly?" Ecklie asked as she brushed past, finishing the pizza. _

_"Home."_

_"Who said your work was done?"_

_"The time clock actually," Sara chimed, turning to look at him for a moment. "I can't work more than two shifts without at least a four hour break. It's in my file if you don't believe me, and you know how well you like to stick to protocol. You'll just have to mandate me four hours from now."_

It had only been two and a half. She knew that it was him, calling to mandate her. The funny thing was that she had a hard time saying no. Even though her four hours were guaranteed, all Ecklie had to do was put her job on the line…and then what?

She turned away from the window, collapsing on the couch. What did she care if she had her job anymore? Grissom didn't notice her anymore today than he had ever before, and without Greg…there really wasn't a point anymore.

When the phone rang again she let out a crude sigh, unable to take it anymore. "What?" she demanded bitterly, rubbing her forehead with her free hand.

"Sara, I was looking through some of these records here, Greg purchased a new credit card a couple of days ago."

Sara sat up slowly, one hand grasping the couch as she did so. "Archie? I thought the case had been closed."

"It is," he said simply, "but that doesn't mean I can't work on it during my break."

"You don't have to do that," Sara said softly, all at the same time deeply touched by his offer.

"Do you want to hear this or not?" Archie waited a beat before continuing. "He used it just yesterday, to check into the Mills House Hotel, located in Charleston, South Carolina."

"Thanks Archie, let Grissom know I'm taking some personal days," Sara stammered quickly into the phone, already off the couch.

"I kind of figured. Your plane leaves at midnight, so you best hurry."

"You already bought me tickets?" Sara demanded, coming to a stop in the middle of her kitchen.

"Just find him Sara," Archie cut her off. "Bring him home."

**TBC**


	5. Closure

**I have one more chapter planned for this story, and I want to thank everyone who is reviewing, I love reading your thoughts. I do want to point out again real quick here that this is a challenge fic, from the GregSara yahoo groups, The idea itself is not mine, but the portrayal is. Thanks again, and keep reviewing!**

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**Chapter Five: Closure **

Sara tapped her fingers endlessly on the countertop, letting out an impatient sigh. The man in front of her turned around, frowning as he took his glasses off for a moment, polishing them quickly before sliding them on.

"Can I help you?"

Sara gritted her teeth as she prepared to repeat the same question she had already asked three different times. "I'm looking for a Mr. Greg Sanders, he checked in this hotel just a few days ago. Can you tell me what room he is in?"

"We can't release that information," the man replied tiredly, reaching under the counter. He pulled out a cloth, folding it in half before running it over the countertop. He paused just as it brushed her arm, clearing his throat.

Letting out a sigh she stepped back, allowing him to finish his cleaning. "Look, he's involved in an ongoing investigation; I need to ask him a few questions. You can either give me his room number, or I can get a warrant, close down your place for few hours while we check all your computer records, and ask my question, make it all public. That wouldn't go over too well with business."

She couldn't make it anymore of a lie. There would be no way she could obtain a warrant, and simply stating that it was an ongoing investigation could land her in trouble. But she was hoping that the manager would be like all the others, breaking easily under pressure. One thing was for certain, they didn't like the sound of lost money.

"Look, Ms. Sidle, I don't want to make this anymore of a hassle than it is already. As long as you keep it quiet, I'll give you number. I don't want to make any of my guests uncomfortable, have them think I just give information away on a whim."

"Of course not," Sara nodded, secretly releasing the breath she had been holding. Shifting from one foot to the other she leaned back against the polished counter, doing her best to see the computer screen as he typed in the name.

"Room 304, third floor. Do you need a key as well?" He asked snappishly, his face drawn into a frown.

"That won't be necessary," she told him with a smile, somewhat mocking his frown. She was relieved her plan had worked, knowing ahead of time that the information would be withheld. The only problem now was getting Greg to listen…let alone get him to open the door.

She could have taken a key, could have entered the room under her own terms, but she knew it wasn't right. The only way she would be able to talk with him was when he was ready. She grabbed the railing with her right hand, making her way up the stairs. The plane ride had been long, leaving her unable to sleep, or relax even. She had mustered together the best she could, of what she would say when she saw him.

Sara had to admit it, she was afraid. Afraid of what she would find, afraid of what would happen, afraid of being rejected. She laughed bitterly. After all she had done, and all she could think about was herself.

_"I'm…ah, I'm going to head home…" Greg's voice was low, despondent; his back turned towards her as he pulled off his gloves. _

_"You feeling okay?" _

_"I'm f…I think I'm coming down with something."_

_"Do you want a ride home?"_

_"No," he waved her offer away, bringing his one free hand up to his eyes. "No…I'm okay…"_

She should have noticed it then…Greg had been so up at the beginning of their shift, then all of the sudden his mood had changed. She had been too absorbed in her case before then, so much that she had missed it, but the more she thought of it, she realized. Greg had been crying then.

She bit her lip as she came to the top of the stairs, hesitating on going any further. Maybe it was better just to leave him…why would he want to see the one person who hurt him so deeply. Swallowing, she forced herself to take the last step, letting go of the railing.

"304…" she whispered, her eyes tracking the numbered plates on the wall. "To the left…"

Sara counted the rooms as she walked by, arms swinging freely at her side, 307…306…305…304.

At first, all she could do was stare at the door…the one thing separating them, the only thing standing in her way. Raising a shaky fist she rapped the wooden structure, just below the number plate.

Silence…not surprising in the least. She moved to knock again, but stopped as the handle turned, the door opening an arm's width. As soon as it had opened, it was once again closing, but not fast enough. Sara managed to get her foot in the gap, bracing the door with her arm.

"Greg, please, we need to talk," she shouted breathlessly, attempting to work her way further into the room.

He wasn't pushing the door anymore, but neither was he letting it open any further. She felt the door move as he shifted his weight, presumably to lean back against the other side.

"Greg?" she started again, only to become lost in her own words. Before, she had figured out a way to tell him, to explain it all. And now it was all gone…

"Greg…let me in…please?" she was begging now, pleading with him. Taking a breath she gathered herself to ask again, ignoring the looks she was getting by those walking by. Before she could say anything, the pressure off the door was released, leaving her standing there.

Pushing the door opened she could him, or his shadow actually, playing against the ceiling as he moved onto the single bed. Stepping inside she closed the door behind her slowly, moving towards the center of the room. Greg didn't meet her gaze, his eyes fixed on the television in front of him.

A news station showed several clips of fire trucks, while in the distance a fire burned. It was muted, the remote laying at the end of the bed. She sat down next to it, her eyes trailing his form until she reached his eyes.

"Greg?"

His eyes flicked to meet hers briefly, before turning to the screen once more. Dressed in only a pair of sweats the warm red colors of the broadcasted fire danced across his bare chest, up his arms and covered his face.

"I know you're mad at me…you have every right to be. I thought I knew what I was doing…but I guess I didn't stop to think about you…"

"I was a fool…" Greg interrupted her. He took in a shaky breath, his gaze still fixed straight ahead. "I was stupid to think you actually cared about me…"

"I do care…" she started, but he was quick to interrupt.

"Don't say that, don't lie…I'm sick of you lying."

"I'm not lying Greg," she said sternly, resisting the urge to move closer to him. "I do care about you…I just didn't realize it before."

"No…there's no possible way you could care about me, and do what you did. It's not possible."

She opened her mouth to argue, but had nothing to say. There was nothing she could come up with to argue his point. The colors changed as the channel went into commercials, casting different shadows across the wall behind them.

"It hurts…" Greg breathed, "it really does hurt when you realize that you're worthless…"

"You're everything but worthless Greg," Sara cut him off. "I care for you; the whole team cares for you. Everyone's worried sick…if you can only see what you're doing to everyone, but you don't even care, do you?"

"Don't you dare turn this against me," Greg warned, reaching up hastily to wipe a fallen tear away. He took a moment to compose himself, his voice calmer that it was before. "Are we done?"

He was close to his breaking point, and as much as she wanted to leave, she knew she had to stay. "Why did you leave?" she asked instead, taking the opportunity to scoot a little closer. "You could have said something to me, you could have even asked. Instead you disappear without a word; you leave everyone worried, not to mention all the money you've cost the department looking for you."

"I thought leaving would change everything, clear things up. I'd start a new life, find new friends…" he took another deep breath, his voice hitching as he continued. "I was wrong…there isn't anyone out there who really cares…someone out there was cold enough to use me…I was just an item, something you could throw away when you were finished."

He lost it then, burying his head into his hands, a muffled sob escaping his lips as his shoulders shook. His last comment had also hit a cord in Sara, leaving her speechless as she watched this grown man cry. It was only then that everything sunk in, leaving her to realize how much she had hurt him.

Gently she reached across the space between him, touching his shoulder tentatively. He pulled away the first time, but when she tried again he did not flinch, allowing her to pull him into an embrace.

"I'm sorry Greg…" she told him, wrapping her arms around him securely, "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

It would be so easy…so very easy, at this moment in time to just leave. To get up and walk out the door, to run away once again. He had hoped that they wouldn't be able to follow him, had hoped that they had given up looking for him, had hoped they really didn't care. At the same time he knew he couldn't hide forever. The questions would be easier to face sooner rather than later. 

He had considered suicide…had actually tried to kill himself. He glanced down as he turned his wrists over; the cuts were still not fully healed. Closing his eyes as the tears threatened once again, Greg drew in a deep breath, praying that it wouldn't start again.

He hadn't been strong enough to face Sara about the problem, hadn't been strong enough to kill himself…hadn't been strong enough to hold himself together. A small sob escaped his lips, and he quickly clamped a hand against his mouth, muffling the cry.

Sara stirred next to him, but didn't fully wake. He had asked her to stay…after everything…he wasn't even strong enough to stand up for his beliefs. Where did that leave him?

_"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's something I think you should know."_

Greg cringed inwardly as the memory came back to him. Normally he would have never believed him, would have never listened, but the look in his eyes told him that he wasn't lying.

_"Sara isn't in love with you…she's just using you to make Grissom jealous."_

_"How so," Greg asked, barely listening as the lab rat as he rattled on. _

_"Can't you see it for yourself? The only time she pays attention to you is when Grissom is around. If something happens outside the lab, Sara leaves hints. How do you think all those rumors started? Then there is what you don't see, her hanging out by his door at the end of the shift, how hurt she looks when Sofia even gets close to him."_

_Greg looked up slowly, the test results in his hands shaking slightly. "I…I don't believe you. Sara wouldn't do that."_

_"Maybe, maybe not. I'm just trying to look out for you. I know, not everyone likes me, and I can be a bit…crude sometimes, but I know what human morals are. It shouldn't happen to anyone."_

_Greg didn't say anything, only meeting his gaze. He didn't want to believe it, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized he was right._

_"I'm sorry," Hodges said quietly. "I just thought you should know."_

He dried his eyes, taking another deep breath. She had asked him to come back, had begged him. As much as he wanted too, he didn't know if that was a possibility. He didn't know if he could face every day, knowing that he would see her; didn't know if he could face the others, if he could find an answer to everything.

At the same time he couldn't stand the thought of not seeing her…it was a bitter feeling. He still loved her, even after all she had done, he still loved her. Greg bit his bottom lip as he dropped his eyes. Yes, he loved her, but she didn't return that love. So where, then, did this leave him?

**TBC**


	6. Coming Home

**Here's the final chapter in the story, I hope you all enjoy reading it, I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for all the readers, and the wonderful reviews that you give!**

* * *

**Chapter Six: Coming Home**

"So, I was thinking," Sofia started, settling down on the edge of his desk. "Maybe after shift we could get something to eat."

Grissom nodded, taking a brief moment to look up at her. "I have about another hour yet," he reminded her, already knowing she was off. It had been awkward at first, but he was glad that he had taken the chance. He had taken the first step even though he was wary himself about dating. Their relationship hadn't really advanced anywhere, even though they were now in their third month neither had stayed over at the other's place.

Dinner did sound nice, and he knew the place too. A quaint little restaurant, a bit of a drive, but worth it in the end. They shared a quick smile before she parted, leaving him to his work. Grissom would be the first to admit it; a relationship with a co-worker was the last thing he would ever expect. There was something about her that awed him, something he couldn't quite explain.

He glanced up as there was a knock on his office door, frowning as he made eye-contact with the other man. "Greg?"

"Sara said you were looking for me," he replied nervously, shifting to lean against the doorframe.

If it was possible, Grissom's frown became even larger as he removed his glasses. "Well…the whole lab was looking for you."

"So I've heard," Greg tried to shrug it off, forcing a smile. It didn't last long however when Grissom's expression did not change. "I had…a family emergency," he explained slowly. "I needed to leave for a little while…I thought I had called in to leave a message, but I guess I wasn't thinking."

Grissom nodded, but wasn't convinced. After all these years he had come to learn how to read people. Greg wasn't confident, as if he were trying to hide something, his stance off balanced; the tone of his voice was awkward. "You cancelled all your credit cards, withdraw all your funds from the bank…why?"

Greg chuckled, shuffling from one foot to the other. "Funny story there. I thought I had lost my wallet, when I got the call, and grabbed my stuff, I couldn't find it. I didn't want to spend my time trying to find it, so I just cancelled everything. I withdrew all my money because I didn't know how much I would need. When I went to pull my notebook with all my phone numbers in it from my glove compartment, it fell out."

"What happened?"

Greg blinked, frowning at the question. "I…what do you mean?"

"The family emergency," Grissom explained tiredly, rubbing his forehead. "What happened?"

"Oh," Greg shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. "My cousin, he was in a car accident…pretty bad. He's going to be okay though, a few months it'll be like it never happened…is there a reason why I'm being interrogated?"

"You left without word, scared everyone half to death, not to mention all the money that was spent trying to track you down. I'm just making sure you're not in some sort of trouble."

Greg shook his head, "No…no I'm good…I still have a job, right?"

Grissom nodded, "Yes Greg, you still have a job."

"Yeah, I'm good." Greg flashed him a grin before straightening up. "I'm sorry, really I am…"

He wasn't able to finish the thought, stepping to the side as Judy brushed past him. "I just found this note, I don't know how I lost it," she explained quickly, thrusting the small piece of paper towards him. "I'm not sure how I missed it."

Grissom slid his glasses back on, frowning as he read the note out loud. "Family emergency has come up, taking some personal time, Greg…"

Greg let a small smile slip out before his expression changed, becoming more serious. "I was pretty sure I left a message, but I couldn't really remember if I did or not."

"Thank you Judy," he replied, his gaze moving first from Greg over to Judy. "This would have been helpful if it had been delivered on time."

She nodded, stepping further into the office, "I know, I just…I can't explain it, I usually deliver messages when I get them…"

Greg used the distraction to step out himself, heading down the hall. Sara was waiting for him in the layout room, already busy herself. She greeted him with a smile as she unfolded the map on the table.

"I see you got the note in," Greg said in greeting, clasping his hands together as he leaned against the table. "Thank you…"

"It wasn't very easy. She's so organized I wasn't sure where to place it to make it look like it was forgotten."

"What did you do?" Greg wondered, watching as she drew a line with a red marker.

"I knocked her receiving box over," Sara said with half a smile. "Slipped it in with the other papers."

She took a deep breath then, looking up at him. "I'm glad you decided to come back," she stated, lowering her voice.

Greg nodded, turning away. He was glad that he had returned, but at the same time he felt out of place. It wasn't easy to lie, and it was even harder to lie to Grissom. He was certain the older man knew something was up, and prayed that for once he would let it pass.

It had been Sara's idea…piecing together a believable story, making sure to find an answer to every possible question. It had been rough, he had to admit. They had talked long and hard about what had happened, Sara apologizing every other sentence. As much as he wanted to forgive her, some part of him wasn't able to let it go.

They had spent a week rehearsing, before coming home. They hadn't told anyone that he was coming back, figuring it would be for the best if he returned the same way he had left. Somehow, through those days, they were able to restore their friendship, and though Greg still felt uncomfortable being around her, he was still drawn to her in some, unexplainable way.

"I know it's out of place," Sara started, bringing him from his thoughts, "But I was wondering, that if maybe we could ever be more…more than just friends again. I know it's not fair of me to ask…but I would like to know if there's a chance, for us again."

"I don't know Sara," Greg shrugged his shoulders. "I would say yes, but under the circumstances…"

"I know Greg," Sara cut him off. "I know I'm jumping the gun here, I shouldn't even be asking."

"It's okay," he reassured her, "I would like to try again…just…I don't know if I'm ready just quite yet."

Sara nodded in understanding, her attention back on her work. "I never meant to hurt you like that…I was doing everything for the wrong reason, but I meant all of it. If that makes any sense at all."

"It does," Greg nodded. "Come to think of it, there is a movie playing that I'd like to go see…if you're interested at all."

"A movie sounds nice," Sara smiled up at him, silently thanking him for giving her the chance.

"Hey Greg, haven't seen you around here lately."

"Hey Bobby," he nodded towards the other man as he pushed himself up. "I was busy."

"Yeah, well you're busy again," he let out a grin as he handed the papers to the CSI. "Grissom thought it would be best if you got right back into work. You're with Nick, triple homicide, and I just matched one of the bullets."

Greg took one last look back at Sara before heading out after Bobby, listening only slightly as the other man rattled off all the information. He knew full well that Nick would catch him up again, that was after the Texan finished chewing him out. He let out a sigh, smiling briefly; it was good to be back again.

**The End**


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